Sciatic Nerve Pain During Pregnancy

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The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, running from your
uterus to your legs. It connects the spinal cord to your leg and foot muscles
andwhen you’re
pregnant, the most sensitive area of the sciatic nerve can easily become inflamed.
Although this inflammation is very common during pregnancy, it can cause major
discomfort in the lower back and legs. This often leaves
women frantically searching for answers.

What is sciatica?

According to Dr. Gregory P. Root, an OBGYN
specializing in women’s health at INTEGRIS, “Sciatica is a term often used for many different musculoskeletal problems. Many doctors prefer
the term ‘lumbar radiculopathy,’ which is a disease process that affects the
function of one or more of the lumbosacral nerves. This can have many different
causes and usually requires a detailed workup
by a physician.”

Where do you feel sciatic nerve pain?

Dr. Root explains that sciatic nerve pain usually causes a sharp
pain that travels down the back part of
the leg and into the foot. It can be accompanied by pain with movement or weakness
while trying to lift or lower the affected leg or foot. Sometimes sciatica can
lead to great pain while bending the knee.

Sciatica during pregnancy

Pregnancy
itself is often not the cause of sciatica or lumbosacral radiculopathy. The
root cause is usually an underlying condition caused by posture changes that occur
naturally during pregnancy. “Maternal
and infant growth during pregnancy cause the lumbar portion of the spine to
change, which in turn, changes the way a mother walks or stands,” Dr. Root says.
“These changes have a chance to worsen a disease process that was already
present.”

A few
common underlying or root causes of this type of pain could be:

·Degenerative changes in the spine from aging

·Disc protrusion or what some call a “slipped
disc”

·Congenital abnormalities

·Infectious diseases

·Inflammatory conditions or even malignancy

These are only a few of the many
reasons why it is always important to consult a physician when you experience
these types of symptoms during pregnancy.

How to cure sciatica

The truth is,
there isn’t necessarily a cure for sciatica, other than delivering the baby and
relieving the pressure that’s placed on your
spine. However, Dr. Root says, “I prefer a multidisciplinary approach with
physical therapy, primary care physicians and even orthopedic specialists to
devise a personalized plan for an individual. As with any pregnancy, I
recommend expecting mothers seek counseling from their obstetrician prior to participating in any treatment.”

Remedies to help cure the pain of sciatica

Many popular
sources, like the BUMP, suggest a pregnancy girdle to help
distribute your weight more evenly, a hot or cold compress on the affected
area, stretching or yoga and staying off your feet. However,
everyone’s sciatic nerve pain is unique and should be treated with an
individualized program.At INTEGRIS we
cover all aspects of your women’s health needs. Connect with one of the OBGYN’s
in a location near you.

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